I just received my first REO listing. When doing an occupance check, do you normally knock on the door to see if any one is living there? Or, do you just do a visual check?

Thanks for any help.


CB Agent

What i usually do is I find their phone number then i go there after midnight and block my phone number so they do not get mad at me for calling them that late and then call them at their front steps .If lights go on in the home then I know for sure they are there.If not then i go to plan C.....
But you have to wait long enough as some of these people had utilities disconected for non payment so might take them a while to lit candles they have inside.
If that does not work then i proceed to plan B ....which is ... Where did Mr.ggwwttre
go to give you more insight on this subject!

Good one Kapic. I understand the joking for idiots on this board, but this is a legitimate question.

As far as i'm concerned:

In redemption - Visual drive by only.

Out of redemption - I'm at the door.

Did somebody call?

I tape my biz card to a brick and throw it through the window... if I get a call from the police, it's occupied.

Better yet GGWWTTRE pretend you are the police. Get a bullhorn and holler for everyone to come out with their hands up. If noone comes out either its vacant or you dont want to mess with them anyways!

See the following threads.

http://www.agentsonline.net/forums/ubbth...=true#Post51121

http://www.agentsonline.net/forums/ubbth...=true#Post46066

http://www.agentsonline.net/forums/ubbth...=true#Post48162

http://www.agentsonline.net/forums/ubbth...true#Post137508

CB,
Congrats!!

I am sorry!I just could not resist!

some of yall are cruel........lol....congrats on the listing, after a few more occupancy checks you will learn all the tricks to the trade. here is one i use for the hard to tell ones, i use stickers that say in bold letters...."NOTICE THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN DEEMED VACANT BY YOUR MORTGAGE CO. PER MORTGAGE CLAUSE, WE WILL SECURE ...........AND SO ON.... THEN I STICK ON THE FRONT PICTURE WINDOW and come back in a day or so......if it's gone it's occupied. works for me......lol

For hard to tell ones I put a piece of clear cellophane tape across the doors at the bottom. I i come back and it is broken I know someone has been coming and going. Its not fool proof but it is a starting place.

Like Call Today... I also post a notice.

With a SFR it is usually pretty obvious if it is occupied, but with condos I always post (since I can't peek in the windows). Something that mentions the property has been acquired through foreclosure and a number to call, with a note that if we don't hear from you within 72 hours property will be assumed vacant and it will be rekeyed.

I spoke to soon... got one last night, pre-list (REO foreclosure all done) so I drive up and there's two neighbors chatting... so I go chat (buyer refferal, right)... nice friendly chat... and at the end an "Oh by the way..."

"... the owner's son hides in that house, he's avoiding his probation officer. He was there yesterday, parks his car in the garage."

A careful picture through the high window in the garage door shows mostly my reflection but also an old car with the hood up as if it were broken down and abandoned.

It looked vacant...could have been a real surprise. This company uses their own rekey contractor so I left a message hoping to avoid any oops with them too.

I hear that somebody's making an anonymous tip to the probation dept this morning, hoping it will be truly vacant by tommorow.

I had one where i was sent to do occupancy check and home was missing !
Owner decided to take his mobile home with him!
Bank did not beleive me at first and thought that i was at wrong place,until I showed them pictures of mail box number .

Well Kapic... at least you could be pretty confident reporting that it was vacant.

Very good hints, good links from seasaw, and a few chuckles. Why can't more threads be like this one--something for everyone.

So, when somebody steals a house (and this is the first one I have ever heard about), is it just going to be a foreclosure with a huge deficiency or will it be grand theft mobile with the police involved. Seriously, that will be a lot of papework for someone.

Congrats, CB! I hope you continue by handling the listing professionally and ethically by submitting offers as required and informing buyers agents of status. Good luck.

I want to thank all who contributed usefull information. Fortunately, this one was un-eventful. Vacant with limited junk left behind.

Thanks again,

CB Again

Good question Darlene... once that mobile has wheels under it it's personal property again right? I guess it would depend upon what they have a lien on. A mobile home loan on a mobile in a park... lien on the mobile, that's easy... but on land, but not on foundation (which you just about can't get a loan on here anyway) is the lender on the pink slip or do they have a deed of trust on the dirt or both.

Most of the time the land is worth more without those things than with them anyway... can't sell 'em, have to pay to have them hauled off. (In which case maybe the bank owes the deadbeat for the trashout????)

lol!!